Boston has emerged from its brainy, introverted shell to offer a livelier mix of cultural offerings, not to mention an exploding food scene.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below about it.
1 What was built in 1912?
2 What was founded in 1903?
3 Where can you buy beer?
4 Where can you eat a big burger and fish?
5 Where can you have a beer outdoors with your children?
6 Where can you have oysters and beer?
7 Where can you listen to music four nights a week?
8 Which place has been inspired by places in New York, Paris or London?
9 Which place opens 365 days a year?
Boston across the board punches way above its weight.
The cultural offerings here are so far greater than you might expect from a metropolis of its size.
I would certainly compare Boston restaurants to any other city in the country as far as quality of what we're doing and the talent that's here.
Of course, the history of Boston is the story of America. The Freedom Trail is here. Boston Tea Party happened just right around the corner from here.
It's a very knowledge-based city with universities, the researcher institutions.
And we've got the best sports city in the world, so how are we going to complain about that?
I like the passion of everybody in Boston. It's a very passionate place. They're opinionated, but they're also very, very passionate.
Row 34
Boston has grown and evolved far beyond the pub and the old school thick chowder. I mean, you can still get a good bowl of chowder in Boston, but it's much better than it used to be. We're all about oysters and beer, and we have a lot of both of those. So it's oysters, and fish and chips, and lobster rolls, and what you would expect from a great Boston seafood restaurant. I think that's what we've been able to to-- is surprise people at what a great time they have from the time they walk in to the time they leave and are surprised that an oyster bar can deliver the experience that we deliver. Get a lot of oysters, get a really cold beer that you like, and enjoy the ride is really what we're all about.
Bee's Knees
Bee's Knees means to us as a company the best of things and a focus on how things are made, where they come from. Good food for humans is what we like to say. We're a provision store with craft beer, fine wines, cheeses, charcuterie, delicatessen, cafe. Whether a customer or guest is coming in for a meal or some provisions to take home, we want an environment that is fun, informative, and relaxing.
The Gallows
When we opened The Gallows, we wanted to design a restaurant that we would want to go to, a neighbourhood bar that you could come and get a great burger. You could get an awesome dish of scallops, great cocktails, and hospitable service.
Gallows is great. There's something about it. It just feels cool when you go there, and it's the best comfort food in the city, I think-- is at The Gallows. Amazing.
You could take a date here, and he or she will be very happy, or you can bring your parents here, and they'll be psyched, too.
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a cathedral of sports.
We are in the oldest major league ballpark in America. It was built in 1912. People who came here saw Babe Ruth pitch. They saw Ted Williams hit. All kinds of history here. The tour we take people all through the ballpark. We go sit in the oldest seats in major league baseball. We go up on the green monster. We go into the press box. The Red Sox are very important to Boston. We've suffered with them. We've won championships with them, so they're really part of the fabric of the city.
The Lawn on D
It is an experimental interactive open space for the people of Boston. A lot of times when parks have been designed, inadvertently you send signals don't walk on the grass. Don't do anything. This is intended to encourage people to play in the grass. It's OK to have an adult beverage. It's OK to do things that are fun and interactive. You just want to have a beer, be outdoors. We chatted up with some local Bostonians who are friendly and just having some fun. This is the place to do it.
Gardner Museum
The Gardner is the original immersive experience in museums. Founded and opened in 1903 it went very much against the grain. Mrs. Gardner's vision was for people to come in and have an unhindered aesthetic
experience. It's a small institution that is distinguished by an incredibly rich and important collection. When you walk into any of the Gardner's galleries, you begin to forget that you're in an institution, and you feel like you've received an amazing invitation from a hostess.
Wally’s Jazz Cafe
It's the oldest black family owned and operated jazz club in the world, started in 1947 by my mother and my father. This place is always crowded on any given night with live music seven nights a week 365 days a year. I think this atmosphere is intimate. The audience can connect with the musicians, and the musicians can really connect with the audience.
Lucky’s Lounge
It's sort of a retro Vegas Rat Pack vibe. I want everybody to feel cool, kind of like you know about something that other people don't.
Lucky's is an institution here in Boston, and you have this great time, but then when you want to try to find it again, unless there's a line around the door, you're like, where was that?
We live music here four nights a week.
On Sundays, we have a Sinatra brunch, a Sinatra dinner show. Basically from noon to close is just an homage to Frank.
Bastille Kitchen Chalet
We're in what we refer to as the subterranean cocktail lounge for Bastille kitchen. It's a very cool loungey space. It's inspired by places like Rose Bar in New York City or great places in Paris or London. We connect as a nightlife piece for people, but it's not an aggressive nightclubby kind of place. It's romantic. It has some cool style. I love the sensibility of this city. People in Boston love their history and love their traditions, and that's what makes this city very unique to the world.
KEY:
1 Fenway Park
2 Gardner Museum
3 Bee’s Knees
4 The Gallows
5 The Lawn on D
6 Row 34
7 Lucky’s Lounge
8 Bastille Kitchen Chalet
9 Wally’s Jazz Café
